A Christmas Carol - Setting + Context

WHY DID CHARLES DICKENS WRITE A CHRISTMAS CAROL?

• Dickens's early life gave him first-hand experiences of poverty
• He was a family man who loved celebrations and entertainment
• He was very concerned about poverty, especially how it affected children
• He used his popularity as a writer and people's love of Christmas to put across his message in A Christmas Carol

THE SETTING OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL

• London was a city of great wealth and great poverty
• Dickens writes about both the hardships and the excitement of living in the city
• The descriptions of Scrooge's home and his old school reflect his feelings and character
• The other places he describes are harsh and dangerous

SOCIAL CLASS AND GENDER

• Dickens includes a…